Child Support Recovery

The Attorney General's Office maintains a partnership with the Department of Human Services to promote greater awareness of the need to pay child support. The program focuses on the importance of parents staying involved in their child's life both financially and emotionally even when they are not always physically able to be there because of divorce.

Among the activities of this public awareness program are:

The Attorney General's Office produces radio and television public service announcements and distributes them to the Iowa media. The PSAs are intended to show the joy and importance of being involved in a child's life both emotionally and financially.

Packets containing information on the responsibilities of parenthood, especially financial responsibility, are distributed to Iowa schools. These packets, "Parenting: It's a Life," are intended for educational curricula in grades 7 to 12.

The Attorney General's Office along with the Department of Human Services continues its "Step up to the Plate" program. The program partners with Iowa minor league baseball teams to honor parents who pay child support.

The Child Support Recovery Unit of the Department of Human Services has primary responsibility for the collection of child support. The Customer Service Unit for the Department of Human Services may be reached by calling 888-229-9223. The Attorney General's office provides attorneys to the department to represent the Child Support Recovery Unit in court.